Tuesday, February 24, 2009

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Floor Statement on Hilda Solis
Remarks as Delivered on the Senate Floor

Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I rise to discuss the nomination of Hilda Solis to be Secretary of Labor. I do so as a Senator whose responsibility, constitutionally, it is to advise and consent on the nominees of the President. I also do so as ranking member of the subcommittee of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee dealing with occupational safety. I will vote to confirm Ms. Solis this afternoon, after a great deal of study, after a lot of interaction, and a lot of direct conversations over issues about which Ms. Solis and I have different points of view.

President Obama was elected, and it is his right to choose a Cabinet. It is the Senate's responsibility to give advice and consent on those nominees. After the due diligence and the process this nominee has gone through, making sure she was properly vetted, it is my belief that she is worthy of the appointment of Secretary of Labor of the United States of America. I am going to cast that vote because I will expect, as ranking member of the occupational safety subcommittee, the same type of conversation from the Secretary as we deal with some of the contentious issues we both know lie before us in the months and years ahead.

One is card check. I am adamantly opposed to card check. I believe the right to a secret ballot is a fundamental right--not only at the ballot box in November but as to the question of whether you were organized and unionized in work. I know that when labor unions were formed and labor legislation was originally passed, it was the union movement that sought to ensure a secret ballot on behalf of the workers to make sure there was no intimidation from the company. That has served us well in this country for over 90 years and will continue to serve us for many years ahead. I know Ms. Solis differs on that, but I hope when the issue comes before us, she will be as respectful in the arguments and debates we will bring forward as she will of her own opinion in that regard.

Secondly, as a Senator from the South and from the great State of Georgia, I am very proud of the right to work statutes of our State. It has served us well, as it has a number of States in this country that are right to work States. Those are States where an awful lot of manufacturing has come and been born, and even in difficult times today new manufacturing entities are coming to States, such as the Kia plant coming to LaGrange, GA. I know Ms. Solis was at least equivocal in her response as to whether she supported the right to work status for States. I stand on the floor today and say unequivocally that I support them, and I support my State of Georgia and the right to work of all of its workers.

With those points made, Ms. Solis's reputation and record and the handling of her personal responsibilities, such as her taxes and her responsibilities in the House, all pass muster in terms of the Committee, and I will vote in favor of her confirmation when the vote comes before us.